North Carolina climate and resilience officials say the heat action toolkit they have developed is a customizable guide for local governments to more successfully prevent heat-related deaths amid rising global temperatures.
public health
Totals on PFAS-contaminated utilities ‘coming down daily’
The state’s top drinking water protection official told the Environmental Management Commission Thursday that a shrinking number of North Carolinians get their drinking water from public systems with at least one of the synthetic chemicals that exceeds new federal limits.
Coast Guard notes life vest’s role in 70-year-old’s rescue
After a successful multi-agency search Monday near Nags Head, the Coast Guard is reminding boaters to wear personal flotation.
Climate change and health subject of next science talk
Dr. Alex Hodges, a clinical professor in ECU’s college of nursing, will present “Ready for Change: Building Effective Climate Readiness” at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 23, in the Coastal Studies Institute in Wanchese.
Biden commits $3B to replace lead water pipes nationwide
President Joe Biden announced during an invite-only stop in Wilmington a $3 billion investment to replace lead pipes across the country.
Hog waste spill prompts advisory for part of Swift Creek
The Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources staff were alerted Tuesday to animal waste in ditches from an unknown source later identified as St. John Farm in Grifton.
Street inundation linked to elevated bacteria in creek: Study
N.C. State researchers found elevated levels of fecal bacteria in water samples collected from a tidal creek in Beaufort and town streets following rainfall.
Fans available to eligible adults through state program
Adults with disabilities or those 60 and older can sign up for assistance through Operation Fan Heat Relief May 1 through Oct. 31.
Proposed rules address possible Microcystis bloom sources
The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing revisions to nutrient discharge standards for meat and poultry processors’ wastewater, a potential source of mysterious blooms in the Cape Fear River a decade ago.
EPA puts enforceable limits on PFAS in public water systems
The Environmental Protection Agency set nationwide maximum contaminant levels in public drinking water utilities for nearly a half-dozen per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
State urges public to prepare for predicted extreme heat
Hear from climate scientists, public health professionals and policy specialists during a webinar April 17 on the state’s rising temperatures.
Sunscreen season arrives
An anole, freshly shed of its skin except the still-peeling tip of the nose, suns in a Beaufort agapanthus bed. For us creatures who don’t normally peel, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advise that protection from the sun’s rays is important year-round, not just during the warmer months. Photo: Dylan Ray
Officials post swim advisory at Morris Landing access
The advisory is not a beach closing for Stump Sound, but instead advises against swimming within 200 feet of the sign.
NC scientists receive tools for tracking new compounds
Researchers at North Carolina universities that are part of the PFAS Testing Network are now equipped to trace unregistered chemical pollutants back to the source of emission.
Secretaries’ Science Board to review PFAS’ effects
The Department of Environmental Quality is set to formally ask the Secretaries’ Science Advisory Board to study and compare existing PFAS data from federal agencies.
Damaged pipe blamed for sewage spill in Morehead City
Morehead City officials say an estimated 1,500 gallons of untreated wastewater was discharged Monday into Peletier Creek, which flows into Bogue Sound.
